Follow the author of this article

Follow the topics within this article

It has taken “far too long” to put improved fire safety measures in place at the Palace of Westminster, MPs have warned in the wake of the Notre-Dame blaze.

Chris Bryant, the former shadow Commons leader, said “every fire precaution” must now be taken when a major programme of restoration is started on the Houses of Parliament in order to avoid similar scenes to the French cathedral.

The devastation at the Paris landmark came after David Lidington warned that the risk of a “catastrophic fire” decimating Parliament was growing and it was only down to chance nobody has been badly hurt by falling masonry.

Theresa May’s deputy said it was “very lucky no one has been seriously injured” by the crumbling...